Textile machines



May 30, 1967 J. K. P. MACKIE 3,321,898 TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Oct. 13, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l sizy z W Mu y 1h WA] J. K. P. MACKIE TEXTILE MACHINES May 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 13, 1964 I nvenlor Ill 7. I Aflormqg United States Patent 3,321,898 TEXTILE MACHiNES John Kay Pringle Mackie, Albert Foundry, Northern Ireland, assignor to .lames Maekie it; dons Limited, Belfast, Northern llreland Filed st. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 493,596 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Get. 17, 19%, 41,111/63 13 Claims. ('Cl. 57-58.!6)

This invention relates to machines for twisting or spinning yarn.

More specifically it relates to machines of the so-called two-for-one kind in which the material being worked on (yarn or sliver) is twisted by being ballooned at high speed round a package by a flyer having an eye through which the yarn passes. In the case of a twister the machine can be either of the out-flow type or the in-fiow type that is to say the package can be either a let-off or a take-up package respectively. In either case the let-off means or take-up means which are mounted on a bracket or the like within the balloon must be held against rotation with the flyer. One way of solving this problem is to provide a magnet either on the bracket within the balloon or on the machine frame outside the balloon and a co-operat ing member on the frame or bracket respectively. The co-operating member may be a second magnet or it may be a ferrous metal armature. In either case the material of the balloon passes freely between the bracket and the machine frame across the magnetic field. Such a machine will here-after be referred to as a machine of the type de scribed.

The holding force provided by the magnet(s) is not positive and it has been found that during running of a machine the bracket assembly may begin to oscillate. This is particularly so when the machine is of the in-flow type where a traverser forming part of the take-up means on the bracket, has to be driven to and fro and the reversal of the traverse guide tends to cause momentary fluctuations in the drive to the take-up means and hence to impart a momentary periodic torque to the bracket assembly inside the balloon which causes an oscillation to occur.

In the particular type of inflow machine where a precision wound package is being built, the speed of the traverse member, viz, the number of reciprocations per minute, commences at a fairly high figure when the package is small in diameter. However the speed gradually decreases as the package increases in size due to the fact that the number of reciprocations per minute is proportional to the number of revolutions per minute of the package, and as the package diameter increases with a constant yarn speed the speed of rotation of the package decreases as does the speed of the traverse member. At certain package diameters the reciprocations of the traverse member pass through a frequency or frequencies which are resonant reciprocations for the natural period of oscillation of the bracket assembly as a whole, which depends on the weight of the assembly and the attractive force created by the magnets. At these resonant frequencies violent oscillations can build up to such an extent that the force of attraction between the magnet and its co-operating member is broken, enabling the bracket to rotate with a consequent danger of severe damage to the machine. Such damage is normally guarded against by some form of safety stop motion such as that described in our co-pending application Ser. No. 397,953, (now matured into US. Patent No. 3,264,813), but in each case the machine or the particular spindle involved is stopped and time has to be expended on starting the machine or spindle running again.

In a two-for one twisting or spinning machine of the type described in accordance with the invention, the magnet and/or co-operating member is so mounted that it is capable of limited movement (preferably pivotal or arcuate movement) relatively to its support, and means are provided to absorb energy during any such movement.

Movement of the bracket at the start of any oscillation causes a corresponding movement of the movable magnet or co-operating member, due to the force of magnetic attraction between the member or magnet on the bracket and that on the machine frame and the absorption of energy during this movement has the effect of damping the oscillation of the bracket which consequently does not have the same tendency to build up to an alarming extent.

The energy absorbing means may for example comprise a buffer or butters which are made of resilient material such as rubber or which are constituted by springs and which extend between the movable magnet or member and a fixed point in such a way that movement of the magnet or member compresses or extends at least one buffer so that energy is absorbed. Alternatively the means may comprise a leaf spring which supports the movable magnet or a flat pivot pin for the movable magnet in which latter case the energy is absorbed .in friction.

Preferably the co-operating member is a magnet rather than a ferrous metal armature and it has been found preferable for each of the two magnets to be U-shaped and positioned with the U-section of the magnets in a horizontal plane and with unlike pole faces opposite each other. With this arrangement there is a tendency not only for the bracket to be held stationary due to the attraction between the opposite pole faces of the magnet, but also if the bracket starts to move that arm of its magnet which is moving towards the arm of the frame magnet which has a like pole face is repelled thereby providing further resistance to rotation.

An embodiment of a two for'one twisting machine of the inflow type in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example wit-h reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows, somewhat diagrammatically, a ingle spindle of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic plan view corresponding to FIGURE 1 but having some parts removed for clarity.

FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 2 but with the bracket slightly displaced from its normal position as will be the case when a vibration has been set up; and

FIGURE 4 is a diagram illustrating an alternative mode of mounting the magnet which is to be capable of limited damped movement.

A number of supply packages such as cops (not shown) are provided for each spindle 2 of the machine (only one spindle being shown in the drawing) and the yarn is led from the cops through a tensioning device (not shown) and a stationary guide eye 4 attached to the machine frame to the eye 6 of a rotating flyer 8. From the flyer the yarn lltl passes up a tube 12 arranged coaxially with the flyer axis to a pair of driven haul pulleys 14 which act to pull the yarn through the flyer and through the balloon. The yarn is then laid on a package generally shown at 16 carried by the spindle by a butterfly yarn guide 18 which is reciprocated along the length of the package by a rotated traverse scroll 20.

The flyer which is in the form of a disc, has a shaft 22 which is rotated about a vertical axis. Rotation of the flyer causes the length of yarn between the flyer eye 6 and the stationary eye 4 to billow into a ballon and be whirled round the spindle 2, the package and take-up pulleys 14 between inner and outer balloon guide rings 24 and 26.

For each revolution of the fiyer two turns of twist are given to the yarn, one turn being inserted between the eye 6 and the tension device (not shown) adjacent the eye 4 and the other between the flyer eye 6 and take-up pulleys 14. Thus, if the flyer is rotated at a speed of 3000 rpm. there will be 6000 turns of twist inserted in the yarn per minute. The number of turns per inch in the yarn depends, of course, on the speed with which the yarn is taken-up by the pulleys 14.

The fiyer 8 and the take-up pulleys 14 are driven independently of each other through internally toothed belts 28, 30. The belt 28 drives a toothed pulley 32 on the flyer shaft 22 and the belt 30 drives a toothed pulley 34 which is rotatable on the fiyer shaft and which is integral with one 36 of a pair of equal diameter sun wheels 36, 38, the other one 38 of which is carried by and rotatable on the tube 12 on the other side of the fiyer and within the balloon. The sun wheels are connected together through a pair of coaxial toothed planet wheels 40, 42 of equal diameter and mounted one on each side of the fiyer on a spindle 44 passing through and carried by the flyer. Each sun wheel is connected to the adjacent planet Wheel by one of a pair of internally toothed belts 46, 48. Thus, rotation of the sun wheel 36 by the pulley 34 causes an equal rotation of the other sun wheel 38 within the balloon, irrespective of the speed of rotation on the flyer.

The sun wheel 38 is integral with a gear wheel 50 which drives a shaft 52 off-set from the axis of rotation of the flyer. The shaft 52 is provided between its ends with a spiral gear 54 meshing with a similar gear in driving connection with the take-up pulleys 14. The speed of rotation of the take-up or haul pulleys determines the speed at which the yarn is taken up by the package 16 and hence, for a given flyer speed, the twist per inch given to the yarn. The twist per inch in fact is dependent on the ratio of fiyer speed to the speed of the take-up pulleys 14. For a flyer speed of, for example, 3000 r.p.m., the speed of the take-up pulleys can be adjusted to give any reasonable twist to the yarn for example a twist of between two and eight turns per inch can be inserted for one particular use.

The flyer and the take-up means can have independent drives to the belts originating outside the balloon so that the speed of the take-up means of all or of some of the spindles can be varied by a single operation. In other words, the take-up means are driven not in series with the associated fiyer but rather in parallel therewith. The twist per inch imparted to the yarn wound on the spindles can be altered for some or all the spindles by a single adjustment, instead of separately adjusting each spindle drive. Such an arrangement forms the subject of our US. Patent No. 3,106,816.

The upper end of the shaft 52 is also provided with a spiral gear 56 meshing with a corresponding gear 58 on the traverse scroll 20 so that the traverse scroll is driven directly by the spindle driving shaft. Rotation of the scroll causes the butterfly yarn guide 18, which engages in the traversing groove 60 of the scroll to be reciprocated parallel to the axis of the spindle so that the yarn is laid evenly on to the package 16 carried by the spindle. The spindle 2 is driven from the shaft 52 through the scroll 20 to which it is connected by a chain drive 62, through a slipping clutch.

The gearing between the spindle and the take-up pulleys is arranged so that the take-up speed of the package, with no clutch slippage, always exceeds the let-off speed of the pulleys. In use, therefore, the clutch is continuously slipping so that the spindle is driven only at the correct speed to take-up the yarn delivered to it by the pulleys 14. The pressure of the clutch determines the tension of the yarn between the pulleys l4 and the package and this pressure is adjustable so that a correct yarn tension can be obtained for any yarn specification.

The spindle 2, traverse scroll 20, take-up pulleys 14 and tube 12 together with the drive for the take-up pulleys and spindle are carried by a common bracket diagrammatically shown at 64 within the ballon. The bracket is mounted on the tube 12 which in turn is mounted in bearings on a projection 66 extending from the upper side of the fiyer and has therefore got to be held from rotating with the flyer. This is done by securing a U- shaped permanent magnet as to the bracket 64 within the balloon and a co-operating U-shaped permanent magnet 70 to the machine frame outside the balloon path. The U-shaped magnets are placed with their U-section horizontal and with unlike poles opposite each other as can be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. The two magnets are spaced slightly apart so that during normal operation the yarn passes freely between them whilst the force of attraction exerted is sufiicient to prevent the bracket from rotating with the flyer.

The frame magnet '70 is mounted on a bracket 72 secured to the machine frame by means of a vertical pivot pin 74 and a small rubber buffer in the form of a tube '76 is provided at each side of the magnet extending between the back of the magnet and the back plate 78 of the bracket 72. These rubber tubes, which constitute energy absorbing means, are arranged so that the magnet 70 will normally be positioned as shown in FIGURE 2 but will allow it resiliently to move to the position shown in FIGURE 3 in which the magnet has pivoted slightly about its pivot 74.

When the machine is running and the traverse guide 8 is reciprocated at high speed the bracket and the parts carried thereby tend to oscillate or vibrate and these os cillations can build up to an undesirable extent. When the bracket is oscillating the bracket magnet 68 moves relatively to the frame magnet 70 as can be seen in FIG- URE 3, overcoming to some extent the attraction between the opposite pole faces of the magnets 68, 70. Due to the U-shape of the magnets a certain degree of resistance to this movement is provided in that as the south pole face of the bracket magnet 68 moves in an anti-clockwise direction as shown in the drawings, it approaches the south pole face of the frame magnet 70 and is thereby repelled tending to cause the bracket magnet to resume the position shown in FIGURE 2. In addition to the magnetic force which at all times tends to resist oscillation, movement of the bracket magnet 68 to the position shown in FIGURE 3 causes a clockwise pivotal movement of the frame magnet '70 as can be seen in FIGURE 3. During the movement energy is absorbed by the rubber buffer which is being compressed and this absorption of energy has been found to damp down the oscillation so that it does not reach undesirable proportions.

It will be appreciated that instead of the rubber tubes or buffers '76 light springs or dash pots could be used as buffers. If springs are used they can be positioned so that movement of the magnets can cause the springs either to be compressed or tensioned.

In an alternative arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 4 the magnet 70 is secured to the machine frame by means of a laminated leaf spring 80 comprising steel and rubber or plastic plates. In this arrangement the magnet is capable of limited arcuate movement about the point of connection 82 of the spring to the machine frame, energy being absorbed in the bending of the spring.

It will be appreciated that the magnet which is to be capable of limited movement could be that secured to the bracket instead of that secured tothe machine frame.

If it is desired to have only a single magnet this can be fixed either to the bracket or to the machine frame and a ferrous metal armature provided in the place of the other magnet on the frame or bracket respectively. In this arrangement either the magnet or the armature can be mounted for limited damped movement.

Whilst the magnet(s) would normally be a permanent magnet it will be appreciated that an electro-magnet may be employed.

It will normally be desirable to provide on the machine frame or on the bracket adjacent the frame, a safety member which if the force of attraction between the magnets is overcome is attracted by a magnet to a position in which it stops the bracket rotating. Such a member is preferably that described in the specification of our copending application No. 397,953 (now matured into US. Patent No. 3,264,813).

I claim:

1. A tWo-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine comprising a frame, a carrier bracket, a magnet carried on the bracket, a cooperating member on the frame, said magnet cooperating with said cooperating member normally to hold the carrier bracket stationary during operation of the machine, said magnet being so mounted that it is capable of limited movement relatively to the bracket, and means to absorb energy during movement of the magnet relative to the bracket.

2. A two-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the cooperating member is a second magnet.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 in which the two magnets are U-shaped and arranged with the U-section of the magnets in the horizontal plane with unlike pole faces disposed opposite each other.

4. A tWo-for-one twisting or spinning machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the means to absorb energy comprises one or more buffers of resilient material extending between the movable magnet and a fixed point, the said buffers being arranged so that movement of the magnet compresses or expands at least one buffer.

5. A two-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine according to claim 1. in which the energy absorbing means comprises a leaf spring which supports the movable magnet and which is bent by movement of the magnet.

6. A two-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine according to claim 1 in which the energy absorbing means comprises a pivot pin for the movable magnet arranged to frictionally prevent free pivoting of the magnet thereon whereby energy is absorbed in friction during movement of the magnet.

7. A tWo-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine comprising a machine frame, a magnet carried on the machine frame, a cooperating member for the magnet carried on the bracket, the magnet and cooperating member being subject to the force of magnetic attraction so as to hold the carrier bracket stationary during normal operation of the machine, the cooperating member being so mounted that it is capable of limited movement relatively to its support, and means to absorb energy during any such movement of the cooperating member.

8. A two-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine as claimed in claim '7 in which the energy absorbing means comprises one or more buffers of resilient material extending between the movable magnet and a fixed point,

the said buffers being arranged so that movement of the magnet compresses or expands at least one buffer.

9. A tWo-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine as claimed in claim 7 in which the energy absorbing means comprises a leaf spring which supports the movable magnet and which is bent by movement of the: magnet.

10. A two-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine comprising a frame, a carrier bracket, a magnet carried on the bracket, a cooperating member on the frame, the magnet cooperating with the said cooperating member normally to hold the carrier bracket stationary during operation of the machine, the said cooperating member being so mounted that it is capable of limited movement relatively to the frame, and means to absorb energy during movement of the magnet relatively to the frame.

11. A two-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine as claimed in claim 10 in which the means to absorb energy comprises one or more buffers of resilient material extending between the movable cooperating member and a fixed point, the said buffers being arranged so that movement of the member compresses or expands at least one buffer.

12. A two-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine comprising a machine frame, a magnet carried on the machine frame, a cooperating member for the magnet carried on the bracket, the magnet and cooperating member being subject to the force of magnetic attraction so as to hold the carrier bracket stationary during normal operation of the machine, the magnet being so mounted that it is capable of limited movement relatively to the machine frame, and means to absorb energy during any such movement of the magnet.

13. A two-for-one yarn twisting or spinning machine as claimed in claim 12 in which the means to absorb energy comprises one or more buffers of resilient material extending between the movable magnet and a fixed point, the said buffers being arranged so that movement of the magnet compresses or expands at least one buffer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,143,203 1/1939 Maxham 5758.68 X 2,374,085 4/1945 Gwaltney et a1. 5758.76 X 2,537,506 1/1951 Berin 57-5868 2,715,308 8/1955 Soussloif et a1. 5758.76 X 2,732,681 1/1956 Klein 5758.76 X 2,803,939 8/1957 Steele 5758.76 X 2,924,064 2/1960 Hedtmann et al. 57-58.76

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,084,943 1/1955 France.

756,103 8/1956 Great Britain.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner. A. J. SIDOTI, D. WATKINS, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A TWO-FOR-ONE YARN TWISTING OR SPINNING MACHINE COMPRISING A FRAME, A CARRIER BRACKET, A MAGNET CARRIED ON THE BRACKET, A COOPERATING MEMBER ON THE FRAME, SAID MAGNET COOPERATING WITH SAID COOPERATING MEMBER NORMALLY TO HOLD THE CARRIER BRACKET STATIONARY DURING OPERA- 